This invention relates generally to pallets constructed for use with fork lifts or hand trucks, the pallets comprising one or two generally horizontal deck members with multiple discrete support columns or legs maintaining the upper deck member a sufficient distance above the ground or above the bottom deck member to allow for easy insertion of the lifting tines of fork lifts or hand trucks. More particularly, the invention relates to single-deck pallets having multiple legs which are easily disassembled and assembled from the deck member, and where the pallets are nestable in a vertical manner when empty, such that storage and transportation is more efficient. Even more particularly, the invention relates to pallet assemblies in which the leg members comprise two separate components to insure secure engagement with the deck member.
Pallets having single deck members for supporting other items for storage or transport with multiple individual leg members to raise the deck member sufficient distance from the ground to allow access for fork lifts or hand trucks in order to move the pallet are well known in the industry. The pallets must be constructed with suitable strength and durability characteristics, as they are routinely subjected to relatively rough handling and treatment. It is often advantageous to provide a pallet assembly where the legs can be removed from the deck member, such that the pallet assembly can be disassembled and reassembled when desired. The ability to disassemble the pallet may be useful for transporting or storing large numbers of empty pallets, as well as allowing for replacement of individual components, either the legs or the deck members, which become damaged in use. It is also useful if the pallets are constructed such that they are nestable, the legs of one pallet fitting into the interior of the legs of a pallet beneath it, such that the deck of the upper pallet will rest on or close to the deck of the lower pallet. This allows fully assembled pallets to be stored and transported efficiently since a large number of pallets can be stacked so as to occupy minimal total volume.
Pallets which are nestable, which easily disassemble when desired, and which have multiple component leg member structures are known. For example, Wharton in U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,172 shows a multiple component leg construction for use with dual deck pallets. Baucom in U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,032 teaches a single deck member with nestable legs which easily disassemble and reassemble. The legs are single piece members with dual flanges for gripping the deck member. The deck apertures are cut with tabs or slots which allow the leg members to be inserted onto the deck member by twisting or sliding. This construction does not provide a very secure engagement between the legs and deck, and is only useful for pallets with decks constructed of a compressible paperboard material such as corrugated cardboard. Wies et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,099 discloses a pallet construction which could be used for single deck, nestable leg pallets. This patent shows a single piece leg member which is designed to grip the deck member between a lower annular flange and upper horizontal tab members. As in Baucom, the circular pallet apertures to receive the legs are provided with cutouts which correspond to the positions of the horizontal tabs on the leg, such that the leg member is inserted so that the tabs pass through the cutouts, and the leg is then rotated to grip the deck member. Again the deck must be compressible, so that again the pallet is not securely constructed. Riviere in U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,852 teaches a two part leg construction for use with single decks. The legs are nestable and easily assembled, but are not designed to disassemble. The Riviere leg has a hollow, truncated cone configuration with an annular flange to engage the upper side of the deck member and several annular locking shoulders positioned at a point beneath the bottom of the deck. A locking ring is placed onto the leg from the underside and pushed upward to compress the deck member and position its bottom rim above the locking shoulder. Morder in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,464 shows a tabbed leg member similar to the device of Wies et al., such that cutouts are required in the leg apertures for insertion of the leg, this leg having an inverted truncated cone in the center of the leg to provide a support surface interior to the leg opening.
It is an object of this invention to provide a pallet assembly comprising a single deck member for supporting objects and a number of leg members to raise the deck a suitable height from the floor to allow for insertion of fork truck or hand truck tines, which is easily assembled and disassembled, which allows multiple pallets to be stacked in a nesting manner whereby the least amount of space is occupied by the stacked pallets, and which provides an extremely, strong, sturdy and durable pallet assembly resistant to damage from compressive and shearing forces. It is a further object to provide such a pallet assembly which can be utilized with non-compressible deck members such as plywood, and wherein the leg members may be easily fabricated from metal or plastic.